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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · season · current · press · nail · mug · trunk · race

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mug — a cup
  4. current — happening now
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. press — to push
  7. current — electric
  8. current — of water
  9. press — newspapers
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — of the year
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. race — a contest
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. race — humankind
  20. mug — to rob
  21. press — a publisher
  22. squash — the sport
  23. season — in sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com